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Awards offer validation, marketing opportunities

In the case of Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, its "Points of Light" television ad during the Super Bowl touted, among other things, winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2011. There were only three other winners in the United States.

For the University of Michigan Health System, the awards and recognitions generally are used in print and outdoor campaigns, as well as on the system's website, said Dave Brudon, director of marketing. They typically are not used in broadcast campaigns.

The importance is the use of a third party, he said.

"Anytime a third party, a recognized third party or any of the large groups that do this kind of work, anytime you're recognized by one of those, it's tremendous," Brudon said.

Killian

Mike Killian, vice president of marketing at Beaumont Health System, said the recognitions from organizations such as U.S. News and World Report and Thomson Reuters are the result of a hospital doing its job well, not a pursuit of recognition.

"We're always delighted to get them," Killian said. "We think in many cases they tell a story that if you add all the information up you get a look at how the hospitals operate."